In an interview with Factor TV, Yeghoyan said the idea of leasing a corridor was unacceptable on the Armenian side as it was seen as a threat to the country’s sovereignty.
“We are talking about sovereignty, delegations of authority, who do we delegate to, who and exactly what do we delegate?” Yeghoyan said.
When asked if there was an actual lease proposal, the Civil Contracts MP replied: “Americans had such an idea, but it was not accepted by us… because we saw the danger of compromising sovereignty.” According to Yeghoyan, the proposal is no longer on the negotiation table.
US Turkish Ambassador Thomas Barrack revealed on July 11 that Washington proposed a 100-year lease of the proposed transport link as part of an effort to promote peace agreements between the two South Caucasian countries. Nazeri Baghdasalian, spokesman for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, dismissed the possibility on July 14, saying Armenian law only allows leases of farmland for farming and grazing purposes.
rhm/